Former Cambridge boss John Beck takes charge at Histon

Former Cambridge, Preston and Lincoln boss John Beck has been appointed manager of Histon, having signed a two-year contract at the club.

Beck, 55, was assistant to former Histon boss Steve Fallon before leaving the post last September.

Beck told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire: "Steve and I achieved a fantastic amount and I'm hoping, given enough time, we can do similar things.

"It's going to be very difficult next season. We have a mountain to climb."

The Stutes secured Blue Square Premier survival on the final day of the season under previous boss Alan Lewer and have a squad which has lost many of its first-team players.

"We have a recruitment problem. All the best players have already been snapped up," Beck added.

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"We've had a mass exodus as well but we should be shouting from the rooftops what we've achieved."

Beck confirmed he would be looking for an assistant manager to help him in what could prove to be a tough campaign come August.

"I do believe that if we finish one place above relegation that will be like climbing Mount Everest," he said.

"But I don't think there's another manager in the country that can do this job and offer what Histon needs."

A statement on the Histon website described Beck as being "widely respected within the game, with a reputation for developing potential".

As a player he made nearly 500 appearances for clubs including Queens Park Rangers, Coventry City, Fulham, Bournemouth and Cambridge, but he made his managerial reputation during his first spell in charge at the Abbey Stadium.

After taking over in January 1990, he guided the U's from the old fourth division to the brink of the Premier League, but his insistence on a long-ball style of play attracted criticism, especially in the media.

After spells managing Preston and Lincoln, Beck returned briefly to Cambridge before forming a successful partnership with Fallon at Histon, overseeing two promotions between 2004 and 2009.

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